Art Exam
by ChudleyCanons
Summary: Modern day Arthur/Merlin AU. Merlin is nervous about his art exam. Arthur doesn't really help. This is a terrible summary. I wrote this for my friend who had her art exam today.


**Art Exam**

Arthur Pendragon was confused. Merlin had been his best friend for years, despite his father's disapproval, and he had never been shy about his work. Many a time Arthur had copied essays from his disgruntled friend without a word of protest. True there had been rolling eyes and heavy sighs but Arthur always made sure he made it up to him; even if he never allowed Merlin to realise he had been discreetly lending him money for months. Merlin was usually all wide grins, sarcastic eyebrows (most likely learnt from his uncle) and happy laughter so Arthur found it ever so bemusing every time Merlin refused to show him his art book.

It was a hectic morning. All around him, Arthur saw frantic art students rushing to gather last minute materials and Merlin was no exception. He was losing count of how many times his friend had taken all his equipment out of his pencil case, only to put them all back in again.

"For heaven's sake, Merlin, you're making _**ME**_ nervous."

Merlin gave a shaky laugh and tapped his fingers on his book. 'I. Me, Mine.'. That was the title emblazoned on the front and Arthur had been trying to find out what Merlin had drawn for this, for months. Merlin was a fantastic artist, even if Arthur had never told him so but since this new topic had started, he had not been allowed to see a single piece. Every time he asked he got a shrug and a blush for his answer before his friend swiftly changed the subject. It was for this reason that when Will, a friend of Merlin's from art class, asked for Merlin's help with some of his materials; Arthur used this opportunity to grab the art book and run from the room.

He knew Merlin would realise soon enough and come and find him, with that infuriating 'you-are-an-incredibly-immature-prat-and-I-don't-know-why-I-put-up-with-you' face but Arthur sat himself down in his own empty form room and opened the book.

Merlin was panicking. Both Arthur and his art were gone and that did not bode well for him. If Arthur saw what he had drawn he might as well die now to save his friend the trouble of killing him. How could he have been so stupid? Did he really think that Arthur would never see what was in there? This was **Arthur Pendragon, **for god's sake. The most popular boy in school, captain of pretty much every sports team there was and stubborn as hell. Merlin just hoped that he could get to Arthur's form room before he saw too much.

When Merlin opened the door his heart sank. The blonde was sitting on a chair with the book on his lap, looking at it like it was something alien. He looked up at Merlin as he shut the door behind him. The dark-haired boy wouldn't look at him; he was staring at the floor as if he wanted it to swallow him. Arthur's voice was scratchy as if it hadn't been used in months as he spoke.

"They're…they're all of me….us. They're all of us."

And they were. Each page had a different picture of them. Many had been copied from photos: Arthur smiling with an arm slung around Merlin's shoulders or the two of them laughing and covered in mud. But there were some that had never happened – all at the back of the book and none of them properly coloured or developed. These were the ones which looked like they had had the most time spent on them. The most care. These were the ones that made Arthur's breathing quicken. They were more intimate poses: the two of them holding hands or curled up together on a sofa. One of them had Arthur standing behind Merlin with his arms around his waist and another showed him touching Merlin's cheek tenderly.

Merlin still hadn't answered. He had his eyes closed and his hands were clenched in a vain effort to stop them shaking. He heard Arthur close the book carefully and put it on the table. He heard the chair scrape along the floor as he stood and walked towards him. He flinched away instinctively as Arthur brushed past him but with a click of the door, he was gone and Merlin was left alone in the room, with his book left lying pitifully on the table and his heart feeling heavier than it ever had before.

When Arthur came rushing back into the room, Merlin was sitting dejectedly on the chair Arthur had left, with his book lying unopened on his lap. He looked shocked to see his friend back so quickly and even more surprised when Arthur threw his bag – which he must have gone and got from where he had left it in Merlin's form room – on the table and yanked out his English book. With shaking hands he thrust it at Merlin, refusing to meet his eyes.

Arthur hoped he had not misinterpreted the pictures he had seen, he didn't think he could face a rejection now he had been filled with a hope he never thought possible. He was more terrified than he thought he should be, seeing as he had just seen proof that his feelings were returned, yet he still found it hard to breathe while he watched Merlin reading the poems in the back of his English book. Apart from sport, English had always been Arthur's subject and Merlin was the only one who ever showed an interest in his work, but he had never shown him these poems. For the same reason that Merlin had never shown him his art.

Finally, Merlin looked up. He looked a little nervous still but there was hope shining through as he asked tentatively,

"They're about me?"

As Arthur nodded and opened his mouth to speak, Will burst into the room,

"Uh…Merlin? We have to go! I've been looking for you bloody everywhere, come on!"

Will ran from the room and Merlin swore quietly and grabbed his art book. He handed Arthur's book back and as their eyes met, he hesitated. Arthur opened his mouth but a group of giggling girls rushed into the room and this jolted sense back into Merlin and, with a small sigh, he hurried from the room.

For a moment, Arthur could do no more than watch him go – not noticing the rest of his form gathering around him and giving him concerned looks – but when Morgana asked him if he was OK, he awoke from his trance and ran from the room. He hurried through the emptying corridors until he saw Merlin about to turn down the art corridor.

At the sound of his name being called, in a voice he knew only too well, Merlin whipped around. Arthur was jogging towards him and Merlin felt his heart beat increase again. Had he come to tell him this was all a misunderstanding? Arthur, however, didn't seem sure why he had followed him any more than he did. He was looking unsure about something and Merlin began to fear the worst.

After a couple more awkward seconds, Arthur sighed and looked around. Seeing that the corridor was empty, he leant forward and pressed his lips against Merlin's. It was only a very chaste and brief kiss, lasting no more than a second or two, but Merlin heard himself gasp quietly into it.

When Arthur pulled away he was bright red but wore a smile which shone with a pure and utter happiness that Merlin had never seen before.

"Good luck." Arthur murmured and Merlin could only smile back dazedly. As Arthur made his way back to his form room and Merlin was called into the art room, by a rather frantic looking Mr. Hurt and given his seat; he was left thinking that he didn't need any more luck than he must have already had.


End file.
